THE IMPACT OF PRAYER Psalm 139:23-24 When we think about prayer, we frequently focus on what we want the Lord to do for us or others, but communing with Him also impacts us in spiritual ways that we may not realize. Scripture tells us to devote ourselves to prayer and to pray without ceasing (Col. 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:17). Continuous conversations with our heavenly Father are one of the means He uses to impact us personally. Prayer changes us. As we seek the Lord and regularly spend time in His Word, we’ll be transformed. Our desires will be replaced by His, and our thinking will align more closely with His thoughts. As our understanding of His character grows, we’ll have a better idea of how to pray in accordance with His will. Through prayer, we invite God to accomplish His work in us. While we can’t alter a single divine plan or make the Lord change His mind, we can invite Him to alter us. In prayer, we submit to God’s will, repent of sin, and ask Him to shape us into the image of His Son. And He will hear and answer this kind of prayer because it is exactly what He desires to do in each of us. Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 40-42

Psalm 119:89 King James Version 89 For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.

PROTECTING OUR FUTURE Genesis 25:19-34 Many people give little thought to the long-term consequences of their choices. As a result, they can sacrifice future blessings for the sake of present pleasures. But this is nothing new; we see it in the very first book of the Old Testament. Swayed by his immediate needs and desires, Esau failed to value the privilege of his birthright. In those days, the eldest son received a double portion of the inheritance from his father, along with leadership of the family. But in this particular situation, there was much more at stake—the birthright contained blessings of the covenant God had made with Abraham. Esau didn’t care enough about his spiritual heritage, so he thoughtlessly sold it for a meal. Being far removed from that particular transaction makes it easy to see the folly of Esau’s choice. But what about you? Are you sacrificing God’s spiritual blessings for short-term gain? Maybe you’re spending long hours working or playing but reserve little time to spend in God’s Word and prayer. You can protect your future by yielding to the Spirit’s control and pursuing what Scripture considers most valuable: knowing, loving, obeying, and serving God. This investment reaps long-term blessings that continue into eternity. Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 23-25

GROWING FAITH 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4 Faith isn’t a one-time event with the single purpose of ushering us into salvation. Sadly, some Christians never progress beyond this initial level of faith. But God wants our relationship with Him to continually grow. Willingness to trust the Lord affects every area of our life—how we feel, what we do, the way He blesses us. In some ways, it comes down to our focus: When you face difficulties or heartbreak, do you notice the impossibility of the circumstances, or do you see the greatness of our Father? Another way to ask the question is, Whose voice are you listening to? Our focus also affects our emotions. Those who choose to believe God experience peace and joy. But when we doubt, it’s easier for anxiety and fear to creep in. Then, instead of resting in Christ, we fuss and fume, trying to anticipate all possible outcomes and solve problems in our own strength. We need to realize that our faith is of utmost importance to God, and He takes joy in seeing it grow. He can move heaven and earth to act on our behalf and answer our prayers—and He delights in our choosing to believe that. By trusting Him, we will discover new excitement and adventure in life. We’ll also see that our Father is always faithful. Bible in One Year: Lamentations 3-5

EVALUATING YOUR FAITH Mark 11:20-24 It’s a good idea to pause every now and then to evaluate our spiritual development. Although we will experience different phases of faith throughout life, our goal should be to continue growing. Which phase sounds like you? Hesitant faith is characterized by struggling to believe God: We hope He’ll answer our prayer, but we’re just not sure. Sometimes doubts creep in because we’re looking at the situation, not at the Lord and His Word. Or maybe our problem is that we just don’t know what God has said in the Bible, so we have no real anchor. Courageous faith involves stretching to believe the Lord more and more. Christians in this phase take steps to follow God and discover He is faithful to His Word. Perfect faith is characterized by resting in the Lord, with confidence in Him and a heart aligned with His will. We are thankful as we watch His promises become a reality. Though we hope to practice this kind of faith every day, we won’t truly perfect it in this lifetime. No matter which description best fits your faith today, the best way to grow is by regularly feeding on the Word of God. Cling tightly to His promises. Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 1-3

I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions; over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall harm you. Luke 10:19. Amen!

INCREASING FAITH August 07, 2021 1 Kings 17 We’d all like to have great faith that stands firm in the face of challenges and difficulties. But God doesn’t enlarge our faith instantly; it’s a slow process that happens over our lifetime and often involves trials. Each time we choose to believe the Lord and step out in obedience, we gain greater confidence to trust Him the next time. Elijah shows us what increasing faith looks like. He relied on the Lord to provide food and water at the brook, and he did so again in Zarephath—the miracle this time providing for a widow and her son as well. Then, we read about an even greater demonstration of faith, when he prayed that the Lord would raise the widow’s son to life. On each of these occasions, Elijah stepped out in obedience and experienced the reliability of God. As a result, his faith grew stronger. There will be opportunities for you to believe in the Lord and respond with obedience. These situations are what we often call “problems.” Try looking at each difficulty as an opportunity designed by God specifically for the purpose of increasing your faith as you see His dependability in action. With each step of obedience, your trust in Him will strengthen.

Our Father who art in Heaven hallowed be thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory forever and ever. We ask this in Jesus name...Amen!

Today, as much as possible, be at peace with yourself!! Today, dig deep into your own peace and give peace to others. Today, as much as possible be nice and treat all others as you would want them to treat you!! Today, as much as possible, be a human being and leave the rest to God!!! Today, make it count in your life and the life of others. Today, remember you are worthy!!! Today, believe in yourself, your choices, your passion, your goals and God!!! Today will be exceptionally beautiful!!! Believe it, Receive it and Live it!!! Much love!

May God bless you with the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth. #40DaysOfPower